Frame for automobiles



Oct. 15, 1929. s, 1, FEKETE FRAME FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed March 5, 1924 I VENTUR- j M 7 #4 AA A jflwz 55% MZML Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEPHEN I. FEKETE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, -ASSIGNOR TO HUDSON MOTOR CAR COMPANY, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN FRAME FOR AUTOMOBILES Application filed March 3, 1924. Serial No. 696,457.

My invention has for its object a new and improved frame for automobiles. In the manufacture of automobiles, it has been found that many body troubles, such as loose,

squeaking, or rattling doors and windows, and injury to the finish, are chiefly caused by chassis frames having insufficient rigidity.

It is also well known that the rigidity of the frame is greatly increased by increasing the depth, that is, the vertical height of the side members midway between the ends. The frames, as at present constructed, are ordinarily comprised of channels placed with the flanges in horizontal planes. In manufacturing such a frame, it is found, for reasons which will be explained hereinafter, that increasing the depth of the frame greatly increases the proportion of waste material which is left when the side members are stamped out of the plate of sheet steel from which they are made. Accordingly, the present invention has for its object to produce a frame the channel side members of which will have the desired rigidity but which can 2 be constructed with less waste than side members of the ordinary construction.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a side member of a chassis frame embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, this section being on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the plate from which the frame member, shown in Fig. 1, is stamped showing the amount of waste.

Fig. 4 is a similar view for a frame member of greater depth showing the increase in the proportion of waste.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a sheet from which the reinforcing member lt is cut.

Referring now to the drawings, at 11 in Fig. 1 is shown the side member of a chassis frame for an automobile. This is of usual construction and is shaped at the front end a for connection to the front spring, at the rear end Z) for connection to the rear spring and has the usual kick-up 0 to allow the necessary clearance over the rear axle. This side member, as will be seen from Fig. 2, is a channel having two horizontal flanges (Z and e, and a. connecting vertical web f. The side member is stamped or pressed from a sheet of metal (see Fig. 3), which is in the form of a trapezoid. The sheet must be wide enough to contain the frame member with the flanges cl and e laid flat, that is, before they are bent at right angles to the web f. Owing to the irregular shape of the frame member, this causes considerable waste which is shown at 12 in Fig. 3.

To strengthen such a side member, it is desirable to increase the depth of the frame at the centre. In Fig. 4., is shown a layout similar to Fig. 3 for a frame having considerably greater depth. It will be seen that the proportion of waste, marked 13, is greatly increased and that. the increase in metal which actually goes into the side member is relatively smaller. The increase in waste greatly increases the expense of chassis frames which are deep and stiff. 7

To obviate these difiiculties, I add on the lower side of the frame, a reinforcing member 14, shown in section in Fig. 2. This, reinforcing member is preferably channelshaped, although I do not limit myself to this construction. When a channel is employed, there is an upper flangeg secured by rivets 15 to the lower flange e of the side member, and a lower flange 7b which may conveniently be made narrower than the upper flange 9. The. ends shown at i and are inclined. This member may be cut from the relatively small sheet of material shown in Fig. 5. If the difierence in size of the sheets shown respectively in Figs. 3 and 4 is compared with the sheet shown in Fig. 5, it will be seen that the saving in waste material is very large.

Being secured to the underside of the low- 4 er flange of the side member, the reinforcing member 14 has the same effect structurally as increasing the depth of the side member itself. I find that by employing the construction embodying my invention, side members of almost any desired depth can be produced without substantial increase in cost.

What I claim is:

1. An improved side member for the chas- 5 sis frame of an automobile which comprises a U-shaped channel, there being secured to 1 the lower flange of said channel throughout the portion of the length intermediate the ends, and depending therefrom, a flanged reinforcing member extending longitudinally of said channel and having a free lower edge.

2. An improved side member for the chassis frame of an automobile which comprises 4 a U-shaped channel, there being secured to the lower flange of said channel a flanged reinforcing member of less length than said channel, said reinforcing member also comprising a channel extending longitudinally of said side member and having its upper flange directly secured to the lower flange of the side member.

3. An improved side member for the chassis frame of an automobile which comprises a U-shaped channel, there being secured to the lower flange of said channel throughout the portion of the length intermediate the ends, a flanged reinforcing member also comprising a channel extending longitudinally of said side member'and having its upper flange secured to the lower flange of the side member.

4. An improved side member for the chassis frame of an automobile comprising a main channel member disposed with its web ver- .ticaland of substantially constant depth, and a reinforcing channel member of less length directly secured to the lower edge of said main channel member and extending longitudinally thereof with its web in sub- 40 stantially the same plane as the web of said main channel member.

5. An improved side memberfor the chassis frame of an automobile, said member being of increased depth between its ends and comprising two vertically disposed parallel parts securedtogether edge to edge sub stantially throughout. their length, oneof said parts being of substantially constant depth and the other of saidparts being of less length and providing the increased depth.

I In testimony whereof I afliX mysignature.

STEPHEN I. FEKETE. 

